Ohio Bobcats - NCAA Football Odds, Lines & Betting

The Bobcats earned first place in the MAC East, but fell 31-10 to Central Michigan in the MAC title game.  Ohio were then manhandled 28-7 by Southern Mississippi in the GMAC Bowl to finish 2006 at 9-5.  Coach Frank Solich brings back five starters from last season, and the most important is running back Kalvin McRae (258 attempts, 1,252 yards, 15 TD).  McRae is going to have to face a lot of defenses with seven or eight men in the box this season in the absence of quarterback Austen Everson. 

Everson was not that productive in 2006 anyway, so this should not be new to McRae.  Brad Bower has the first shot at Everson’s job, but with a weakened offensive line that lost left tackle Matt Coppage, it appears as though it will be a run-heavy offense once again.  The Bobcats will just be trying to improve on last season’s 107th-place ranking in total offense.  Things are slightly better on the defensive side of the ball, where six starters are back to a unit which was 29th in the nation in total defense.  Linebacker is the most problematic position for Solich, as his three top players at that position (Tyler Russ, Matt Muncy and Michael Graham) have all graduated.  Jameson Hartke and Erine Hodge will have to put pressure on the opposing quarterback while Solich sorts out the linebackers.  Freshman cornerback Julian Posey has been selected to replace T.J. Wright in the secondary. 

The Bobcats head to Virginia Tech in their third game before a late-September meeting with Kent State that could affect the MAC East race.  A tricky October game at Bowling Green, where the Bobcats were beaten 21-9 last season, awaits Ohio.  If defenses line up to key on McRae, it could be a long season for the Bobcats.

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